XP PRO SP2. Unable to do a clean install or repair

I am having trouble with XP Pro on my Dell. I have tried to do a repair install but I get the following error. ( There is a third party kernel present, XP setup can not continue.) I have removed Diskeeper Pro, and Style XP and rebooted between each removal. Since setup will not let me do a repair install. I decided to do a clean install. Setup wants to use my D drive. My current XP Pro install is located on my C drive. I wanted to do a fresh install on my C drive but setup says I can't because there are temp files needed for setup stored there.
Any ideas on how to accomplish this? Thanks for any and all ideas.

 

Hi force12c.

The best course of action depends on your answers to the following:

Is your D: a partition on the same hard drive that C: is on, or is it a separate hard disk drive ?

Do you have a Restoration CD, a Recovery CD or an XP Installation CD ?

I suspect that you have an XP Installation CD since the install program found the old XP installation on C: and tried to get you to put the new install on D:. This is the default setting for the installation program.

In this case you can navigate through the Installation program and tell it to reformat C:. Use the NTFS file system and the "quick format" option. After formatting then navigate the menus and put the new installation there on C:.

XP Clean Install Tutorials (only for use with an XP Installation CD, not a Restore or a Recovery CD)

Windows XP Clean Install (Interactive Setup)

Clean Installation of Windows XP
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D drive is on a separate hard drive. C drive is a 300 GB with two partitions, C and G. I'll have a look at the links in your reply. Now I need to find my Acronis bootable rescue media disk. I have a image that I made Thursday on a external hard drive. The reason I don't just use the Acronis image is because it has the same problem that I am trying to correct. Thanks for your help.

 

You didn't mention what type of install disk you have.

If the disk image is bad then don't bother with it. Do a fresh install.

Make sure you have all the motherboard and plug-in card drivers burnt onto CDs before you do the install. Since your networking chip probably won't have its driver installed you will not be able to download its drivers from the Internet.
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fairly standard process - if there is nothing you want to save
At the least you will probably want to save your browser favorites
Back up data you want onto dvd, external drives , usb flash drives depending on how much and how important the data
If it is save it more than once
You will need an xp install disk and the key code which will be on a sticker on the side of your computer
If you have an HP you may have a system restore built in - you will see on bootup
You may have to change the boot order to boot from a bootable cd or diskettes
Go into your bios on startup - at the worst set it to factory defaults
You cannnot do a lot of harm
Instructions to make xp boot disks here
www.bootdisk.com
On the install you want to wipe out the hard drive
Either if it lets you format the drive or you can delete the partition and then let if create a partition and format the drive completly
If you do a reinstal with windows xp it can wipe out you desktop and documents and yet seems to store the old system somewhere - takes a lot of space and is foolish
If you have a early pre sp1 windows xp install you may have troubles when you connect to the internet - the blaster virus will shut you down in a minute
Download a copy of sp2 before you start or be behind a router
When you install xp and the computer is newer than xp you will be missing drivers - no sound , integrated network card and more
If you have a disk from the computer or motherboard that is good
Otherwise you will have to hunt them down
Either from the maker if the computer or motherboard / video card are from major brands - at their site
You can to to www.driverguide.com ( a library)
A very good service if you want to spring for it is drivershq

www.drivershq.com
it will scan your computer and get most of the drivers
( it is always best to save them for the next time)

If your integrated network card does not work simply put a somewhat not brand new pci network card in a pci slot and you will be off and running
for older versions of standard programs try

www.oldversion.com

A useful program doing standard windows xp tweaks is

http://www.download.com/Tweak-XP-Pro/3000-2086_4-10551016.html?tag=lst-0-1

be careful It never hurts to back up

 

I have had bad installs of Win XP with a second HDD connected. I would recommend that you disconnect the cables of the second HDD while you do the installation (it will also keep the data on the drive safe).

 

It is a XP Pro set up disk with SP2 slipstreamed. The set up disk is good. The Acronis disk image that I have backed to an external hard drive is also good. The problem with it is Windows is unable to initialize the driver my Xbox 360 wireless gaming receiver for Windows. That is what is wrong with my current XP Pro install. I have followed every trouble-shooter that Microsoft has on this, without any luck.

 

Still not having any luck with a clean install. Left it running while I was at work, came back nine hours later. Still on installing devices. Have never had this problem before. Guess I'll have to live with what I have.

 

If it is having trouble at the Installing Devices stage, it will be because it is having trouble identifying the hardware correctly or installing the drivers for it/them.

You talk about the Xbox 360 wireless receiver. This will be something that you do not want to have connected to the computer during an installation of Windows. The Windows setup program may not be able to identify and install the drivers (it probably knows it is a wireless controller, but does have the correct drivers available to run it). It might be trying to install the drivers for some other type of wireless controller (if I am imaging correctly how it works).

Install Windows with only basic hardware connected. After a successful installation you will need to run any driver installation disks that came with the computer...first chipset drivers, then graphic drivers, audio, etc. Then, install the drivers for any peripherals, like the wireless controller, the way it is described in the instructions. You may need to install the drivers before you connect the hardware or you may need to connect the hardware before you install the drivers.

Special drivers? If the computer is a branded type, you may need to use the manufacturer's OS installation disk if you happen to be using a retail version of Windows. Two that may be like this are Hewlett Packard and Gateway.

Matt